The point being that if there are sentient beings, beings with free will, then they sin and are in need of a savior.
In theory.
My dog has free will, should he baptize her?
i have no problem what he said. it fit the gospel perfectly, and it was taking that same point— that the locals back then thought that baptizing Gentiles was outlandish, weird and wrong— and applying it to a comparable situation. Not lunacy.